Electroplating machine



1927 2 Sheets-She@ 1 S. THOMPSON ELECTROPLATING MACHINE FiedvMaroh 16,'

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Jan. 27, 1931. E. s.' THOMPSON ELECTROPDATING MACHINE Filed March J6. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented an.v 27, 1931 igeazsef lere Y EDGAR S. THOMPSON, 0F SPRINGFELD, OHI

ELEGTROPLATING'MAQHINE Appneatioii inea March rie, 1927... semaine; 175,853.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in electro-plating machines, it more particularly relating to that class of plating machines vherein revolving barrels or drums are used.

linether et the objects is to provide a portable plating device of a unitary Construction so that it may be placed in andV taken out ot various tanks as desired. Y

Another object is to provide aj portable 'g device in which is incorporated asa unitary part tliereet means orrotating the barrel. v

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims.

ln the accompanying drawings: y

1 is a iront elevation et the apparatus embodying my improvements.

. 2 is an end elevation.

l a section on the line a-a of Fig. 1.

ll lerring to the drawings, 1 1 are metallic side trames with integrally cast hand-holds 2 to facilitate lifting and carrying. The side trames are spaced apart and braced by a pair of metallic' cross-members 8, preferably oi' angle section, and are extended downwardly, terminating in bosses l in which are journfed trunnions 5 and G.` A gear 7 is, it inelic, preferably hushed 1with a non-metallic 5; ir the gear is non-metallic, it may be attached directly to the trunnion. Meshing With this gear 7- is an `idler gear 8 preferably neiietallic, rotatably mounted on a shoul der stud 9 threaded in a boss in the side i' frame, and this gear meshes with a second l idler gear 10, similarly mountec, gear lO being meshed with pinion 11 secured to one end of a transverse shaft 12 rotatably mounted in bosses 13 in the side frames and a bearing 1li secured at about the center of a cross-member 15 Which is attached to the side frames 1.

Worm Wheel 16 is keyed to shaft 12 and meshes with a worm 17 Vonthe shaft 18 of an elertri :l motor 19, this motor being preferably insulating bushing, .secured to trunnion ible eonducter S2052 attached to the positive bindingpost et the noter andprovided vwith L M lig clipQl adapted to engage the positive tank rod 22, ai l a -secon-dilezible connlar spring clip l21 ategative bindmv` post engages 1 b e-negative o vcathode tank rod 24, A The entire unit` is preferably suspend d from the tankrodathere being hooks 25, on the trent-side of the device, in direct elecwith negative tank rod 24,*While hooks-,26, on the rear, have each a curved in-V sulatingmember 27 secured thereto, vthese servingto prevent a short-circuit ot the plat' ingl current trom one tank rod 22 to the other. Y V l r'llhe lating barrel islin Vthe present case formed Witlitwo compartments, each consistingV ci a perorat-d sheet of non-absorbent material, .such as pyralin, formica, Celluloid, or the like, rolled into the form of a frustrum of a cone with its large end Vsecured to the shouldered;portion. `29; of; a inon-absorbent` headll), Wit-inthe small ends of the conicV frustrum Vturned 'teivard each other. presenticasemscrews (not shown) are employed to secure-the sheets 28 to the shoulders oi the heads, the heads of the screws being covered if l h suitable materialte prevent corroeien., 'llhe'small4 ends of the cones are inserted in tapered openings in rings 33 Which are secured to a pa, -tion disk 34, this disk and the heads() being connected by a plurali y et longitudinally-extending non-absorbent bars 35 suitably secured tothe disk and heads.V g

' Secured to the inner tace of the shouldered portion of each head is a centrally-arranged Contact plate 32, bolts 3l being employed to secure the plates to the 1heads, Which bolts also pass through thelanffes of the trunnions 5 tovsecu're 'the trnnnions to the barrel.

lA plurality of metallic contactstrips 36 .C l i arranged in a substantially radial manner are soldered or otherwise attached to each contact plate 32 and to a concentric annular ring 37 located inside the compartment near the inner periphery at the large end, and due to the slope of the sides of the barrels, articles placed therein gravitate toward and maintain contact with the rings 37 and strips .36, so that an electrical circuit is formed between the anode or positive tank rod 22, through the electrolytic solution to the articles being plated in the barrel, thence to the contact rings 37, strips 36, plate 32, bolts 3l, trunnions 5 and 6, and frames l 1 to the negative or cathode tank rod 24.

Openings for doors 39 are cut in the sides 28, the doors being approximately of the same curvature and preferably of the same material as the barrel, as are also the reenforcing strips 40, 41 at the longer end, and 42 at the shorter end. To strengthen the door opening, strips 43 are placed on the exterior in line with the opening, While on the interior, strips 44 are secured with their edges projecting over into the door opening to act as rests for the doors; these same strips 44 are also located at various other places inside the barrel to serve as retarders and to promote and maintain a tumbling effect among the articles. Then the doors are in place, they are secured by oblong turn-buttons 45.

In operation, the unit is suspended from the tank rods, it being assumed that there is suiicient depth of solution in the tank to cause partial immersion of the barrel. The spring clips on the motor leads are engaged With their respective rods to furnish the motor with current from the plating circuit to rotate the barrel. If it is desired to change to another solution, the unit is readily transported from one tank to another.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a plating machine, a unitary structure consisting of a supporting frame, a revoluble barrel mounted in said frame, a motor mounted on said frame having an operative connection With said barrel, and means associated With said frame for removably supporting the same on the anode and cathode rods of a plating tank.

2. In a plating machine, a main supporting frame, a revoluble barrel mounted in said frame, an electric motor mounted on said frame having its shaft geared to the shaft of said barrel, said frame arranged to be removably supported upon a negative and positive rod of a plating tank and means for supply ing current to said motor from said rods.

3. In a plating machine, a unitary structure adapted for suspension in a tank having parallel spaced-apart anode and cathode rods arranged along the top thereof consisting of parallel spaced-apart connected side frame members, hand holds integrally formed with rel, a Worm on the shaft of said motor, a

Worm Wheel meshing With said Worm, a gear Wheel connected with said barrel, a train of gears between said Worm Wheel and said gear, and a pair or" hook-shaped members on the outer sides of each of said frame mcmbers adapted to hook over said anode and cathode rods.

EDGAR S. THOMPSON. 

